Means for housing and controlling the evaporation of odor blocks



J y 1, 1941- F. c. BRENNAN ETAL 00- MEANS FOR HOUSING AND CONTROLLING THE EVAPORATION OF ODOR BLOCKS Filed June 14, 1939 Z "7 U 7 n? (l I I I H1 l9 4 l /9 l I I I 1 22 b c o i Z/ c o g 2a Ice ATTORNEY Patented July 1, 1941 iJNlTED STATES FATENT OFFHQE MEANS FOR HOUSING AND CONTROLLING THE EVAPORATION OF ODOR BLOCKS Application June 14, 1939, Serial No. 279,032

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a means for housing and controlling the evaporation of odor blocks.

It is common practice to utilize so-called odor blocks or deodorants in certain confined rooms and spaces. It is the usual practice to suspend these blocks or support them in open holders or by other means, which permit unregulated evaporation of the blocks.

Unregulated evaporation of materials of this character may result in the propagation of odors to such an extent that the reodorant becomes as objectionable or even more unpleasant than the original odor. For instance, during the day, passage of persons in and out of the room, ventilation and the like may carry oh? the undesirable or excess reodorant, but at night the air may become so filled with the reodorant as to be quite unpleasant. Furthermore after a space has been permeated with an odor it may be only necessary to supply a much smaller portion of reodorant per unit of time than when permeation was incomplete.

It is among the objects of our invention to eliminate these difiiculties of the devices of the prior art and to provide means and a method of controlling the evaporation of odor blocks.

Another object of our invention is to provide means for packaging and housing odor blocks which will not only take care of the blocks during shipment, but will also provide a holder for them while in use.

Another disadvantage of the devices of the prior art is that the odor block holders frequently required fastening means such as screws or bolts which marred walls and the like, and it is accordingly another object of our invention to provide means for supporting a holder which will not mar the wall or other surface to which the holder is attached.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a holder for odor blocks which can be used only once in order to thus avoid unsanitary conditions.

Still another object of our invention is to pro vide means for closely regulating evaporation of odor blocks.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawing and following specifications, wherein are disclosed several exemplary embodiments of the invention, with the understanding, however, that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an odor block housing constructed according to one embodiment of our invention.

Figure 2 is a view in section of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of a modified form of the device shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and

Figure 5 is a View in perspective of still another embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing:

Odor blocks such as those illustrated in dotted lines at H! in Figure 2 are usually supplied in cylindrical form, though they may be of cube or rectangular shape.

In practicing our invention, we preferably utilize a cylindrical housing H which may be of cardboard, moulded Bakelite, or any other suitable material. These housings H are preferably permanently closed by means of caps l2 and I3 at opposite ends thereof. These caps are preferably locked in place on the housing so that they cannot be removed without tearing the housing and thus destroying its utility. This is done for sanitary reasons to prevent re-use of the housing.

Any suitable openings, such as the rectangular openings 14 and I5, are provided in the wall of the housing I! to permit evaporation of the blocks and escape of the odor or gas from. the housing. In order to regulate the evaporation of the blocks and the discharge of gas from the housing II, We may provide a cylindrical regulating cover ll which is a close fit on the housing I l and which acts also as a support for the housing. This regulating cylinder I! may be provided with any suitable openings, such as the holes l8, which are adapted to register with the slots or windows I l and IE to permit evaporation of the blocks and discharge of the gas through the housing I l and regulating cylinder IT. The regulating cylinder is preferably provided with one or more suction cups IQ for supporting the regulating cylinder and housing from a wall or other surface, such as that illustrated at 2|. These may be cemented or riveted in place as desired.

The housing I I may of course be rotated Within the regulating cylinder I! to entirely out 01f the passageways between the interior and exterior of the housing or to regulate the total area of the openings l8 which are in registry with the openings [4 and I6. For instance, if no reodorizing of the air in the room is desired, the housing H may be rotated until the openings l4 and i6 are completely out of registry with the openings IS in the regulating cylinder. If only a small degree of discharge of gas or odor is required, then the housing Il may be rotated until only one of the rows of holes I8 is Exposed. 11 a maximum discharge of gas is required, then all of the holesmay be placed in registry with the openings I4 and I6 in the housing. Of course intermediate rates of discharge of the gas may be accomplished by intermediate positioning of the housing II with reference to the regulating cylinder H.

In order to permit rotation of the housing II we preferably make the housing longer than the regulating cylinder I! so that the lower portion of the housing Il may be readily grasped to rotate it.

It is obvious that the housing and regulating enclosure may be of any desirable shape. For instance we might employ housings which are square or rectangular in cross section and the regulating housing corresponding to the housing l1 would likewise be square or rectangular. In this case the openings corresponding to openings l4 and would preferably be horizontal rather than vertical and the degree of registry of the openings and the regulating housing could be effected by vertical movement of the inner housing. Such a structure is illustrated in Figure 5.

Obviously also the inner housing could be supported from the wall'or other surface and the outer regulating casing rotated about the inner housing.

It is apparent also that other forms of openings may be used, as for instance the triangular skilled in the art.

in Figure 4. Obviously still other forms of openings may be employed.

Although we have described several specific embodiments of our invention, it is apparent that modifications thereof may be made by those of our invention as set forth in the appended claims. 7

We claim as our invention:

1. In a means for controlling evaporation of odor blocks, an'inner housing, a regulating casing partially enclosing the inner housing, the inner housing and easing having discontinuous openings therethrough, the inner housing being closed by permanently affixed caps to prevent refilling of the inner housing, the inner housing having a rim projecting below'the regulating casing to provide for turning of the housing with reference to the regulating casing, and means attached to the regulating casing for supporting it and the housing with reference to a Wall or the like.

2. In a means for controlling evaporation of odor blocks, a cylindrical container for odor blocks, means for permanently enclosing the odor blocks in the containerysaid container having openings therein, a casing adapted to partially enclose the container and having openings therethrough adapted to be placed in any desired amount of registry with the openings'in the container, the container projecting beyond an end of the casing to permit its being used to turn the oontainenand suction cup means attached to the casing for supporting same.

FRANK C. BRENNAN. JOHN S. BRENNAN. LESTER J. 'REYSA.

Such modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope; 

